Ron Woodbridge, the original lead vocalist of the British music group The Searchers, passed away recently.
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Woodbridge’s former bandmate Mike Pender confirmed the news. “I was saddened to learn of the passing of Ron Woodbridge,” Pender wrote on his website. “Ron was with me the day we watched John Wayne give us the unforgettable name still famous today!”
Pender was notably referencing the 1956 film The Searchers, which inspired the band’s name. He also posted a photo of himself and Woodbridge in 2013.
“Goodbye, Ron,” Pender added. “Gone but not forgotten.”
Woodbridge was the lead vocalist of The Searchers from 1959 to 1960. He left before the band had its big break with hit tracks such as “Love Potion No. 9” and “Sugar and Spice.”
Following Woodbridge’s departure, Pender became the group’s lead vocalist and lead guitarist from 1960 to 1985.
Details about Woodbridge’s death, including its cause, were not revealed.
Along With Ron Woodbridge, The Searchers Have Lost Various Bandmates Over the Years
Woodbridge is the latest The Searchers alum to pass away. The group’s former drummer, John Blunt, died last year. He had played with the band from 1966 to 1970.
Joe Kennedy, who played drums for the group from 1959 to 1960, died in 2023. Fellow drummer Eddie Rothe, who appeared with The Searchers from 1998 to 2010, died in 2021.
Other The Searchers who have passed away over the years are Billy Adamson, Chris Curtis, Johnny Sandon and Tony West.